Chrysanthemum Flowers: Chunhua’s Arrival
by Miao Cai
Summary: Zhang Chunhua, Sima Yi’s wife, is sent off to the battle of Wuzhang Plains. After she escapes from the Shu camp, Sima sees her slightly different than he used to. Will the marriage built on respect change to romance? Sima Yi x Zhang Chunhua


_This was inspired to me when I had a dream I was Zhang Chunhua :0_

_It's a story of Lady Zhang Chunhua, Sima Yi's wife during the battle of Wuzhang. OMG Sima Yi and his historical wife :P_

_Enjoy! R&R!_

Chrysanthemum Flowers – Chunhua's Arrival

Disclaimer – I do not own Dynasty Warriors or Zhang Chunhua (Also Zhang Xuanmu).

Part I - Introduction

Zhang Chunhua lifted the hefty blade once more, trying to control it as well as she could. The days for her had been hard, since she was already married with her husband no where close to herself. She had once been close friends with one of their enemy's officers a long time ago, but ever since Chunhua had abandoned her old way of life and that officer, the officer had a grudge against her. It saddened her.

Zhang Chunhua stared at the piece of stone and then swung her blade, the stone and her weapon glistening in the moon.

There was nothing left but dust.

Pleased with herself, Zhang Chunhua flung her hair and started back to the camp.

Part II – Battle Plans

Sima Yi dismissed the messenger after giving him gifts and then snapped, "I would like to see his head in my hands!" He threw the box on the desk, women's garments pouring over the floor.

He turned to Zhang Chunhua, who then inquired, "What should we do?"

"Zhuge Liang knows me well, all too well." He fixed his scholar's hat and then replied, "It's clever. He sends this to me to provoke me into battle, and even if this fails I have to rid myself of the humiliation. We'll send a small army to feign defeat and then lure Shu into Deng Ai's catapults. The only hesitation I bear is that Zhuge Liang might figure it out. Ju-hua, Zhong Hui, what do you think we should do?"

Ju-hua was a name Sima Yi gave her, meaning "Chrysanthemum flowers." He gave it to her because "Ju" and "Chun" had a similar pronunciation. Everyone in Wei called her that.

But Sima Yi hadn't called her by that name lately.

"If we send a small officer with a small army," Zhong Hui explained, "Then maybe his suspicions would be eased."

Sima Yi nodded. "Who do you think will do the job?"

"Ju-hua of course."

Zhang Chunhua felt taken back. "I am already fifty years old. There is not much more I can do in battle."

"You train for a reason," Sima Yi snapped. "Go into battle now, our son will be escorting you as sub-general."

Zhang Chunhua bowed, lifted her blade over her shoulders and then left the tent.

"My training is to relieve off stress," she uttered, mounting a horse.

"Zhongda will never know how hard it is to live like this."

She suddenly remembered the officer she was friends with a long while ago.

"No, I can't ask her for help. She's with Shu now."

Part III – Frontlines

Zhang Chunhua and her son were ready for battle.

"Son," she said, "You remember what I told you?"

He nodded.

"Very good. Come on now, we'll march on to the frontlines."

Sima Zhao nodded, and with a wave of his halberd, the small army of five thousand followed them deeper out into the wilderness.

There were many traps not set by Shu that the Wei army encountered. There were snakes inhabiting the area, tigers, lions, and many creatures not wanted to be touched or to touch. They paced the central plains and waited for anything to come to them so they could have dinner. Zhang Chunhua sent out troops in groups of threes to eliminate as many as they could, but some fell wounded to the tigers and lions while others poisoned by the snakes.

But they made it through.

Eventually they were only a mile away from the frontlines. Sima Zhao had been cruel to those who were wounded and poisoned from the last trip and ordered them to continue marching on foot, where Zhang Chunhua didn't say a word. She didn't want to be commanding to the army where they would always trust her compassion, but she knew that if they wounded and poisoned would not walk along they would defect to Shu and release her husband's plan.

And their army grew exhausted very easily.

One of the soldiers ran to Chunhua, kneeled and said, "Please, My Lady, let us rest for at least an hour. We cannot fight under these conditions!"

"And who are you to ask for this from Lady Zhang?" snapped Sima Zhao, whose horse was right next to his mother's. "March on!"

"Let them rest!" Zhang Chunhua exclaimed. She whispered to Zhao, "If we force them to continue on, we have a higher risk of rebellions. You have much more to learn."

Sima Zhao cursed under his breath.

Zhang Chunhua dismounted. "You should rest too. Your mount is also exhausted."

Her horse collapsed, and soon after, Sima Zhao's did as well.

The army rested for no longer than a few hours when one of the wounded soldiers ran for his life, screaming, "The Shu army has come!"

"It's the plan, yet not the time," Zhang Chunhua said in such a low tone, no one would hear. "The army is exhausted. Wait, this will add on to the illusion!"

She mounted and the screamed, "Sima Zhao will lead the army into retreat! I will protect the rest of the foot soldiers who are running! Go, now!"

Sima Zhao nodded then mounted and began an orderly retreat.

Zhang Chunhua lifted her blade and simply removed a hand to slice Shu troops. A man's head was sliced open, another's arm chopped off. One man lost a shoulder, another lost a leg. Soon after the Shu army grew so intimidated by Zhang Chunhua they retreated, taking the dead and injured with them.

Part IV – Enemy Commander

From the Shu side, Yue Ying asked one of the troops who had been injured from Chunhua, "Who is the commander?"

"I never heard of her before, but she is escorted with Sima Zhao."

"Sima Zhao, eh?" she muttered. "And a female commander of Wei? I might know who she is. You were at the frontlines; what weapon was she holding and about how many troops did you see?"

"A blade, appeared very heavy in appearance; maybe a few thousand foot soldiers, a few hundred mounted," the soldier replied, grasping his wound. "A few hundred have surrendered before the female commander's killing frenzy. In the frontlines the commander slaughtered a few dozens our troops, maybe protecting the fleeing army. After she had almost killed me, she turned her mount around, maybe to meet with her army."

Yue Ying nodded. "Very well." She pointed to one of her bodyguards and then said, "Dismount and give this loyal troop your horse."

She said to another bodyguard, "Make sure he returns to the main camp safely."

"As for the rest of you," Yue Ying pulled her horse's reigns and then raced to the frontlines. "CHARGE!"

Part V – Rats of Shu

Zhang Chunhua sat near the main catapult. "Where is Shu when you want them?"

Deng Ai readied the catapult and then said, "They're there when you want them not to be, not there when you want them to be."

Chunhua laid down on her side, eating a pear with one hand, her other arm supporting her head. Remembering a pun her husband once used, she repeated it in front of Deng Ai, "You would wonder why else would they take "shu" – synonymous with the word "rat"! Such rodents!"

Sima Zhao, who was on a level of the main catapult, stared out and then exclaimed, "The Shu army has arrived!"

"Took them long enough." Zhang Chunhua raised her blade and then mounted again. "You two stay here, I'll lure them closer with my handpicked troops."

Deng Ai saluted her. "Good luck, Ju-hua!"

The Shu army was not running, but marching. Zhang Chunhua, feeling her temper fall short, grumbled and then charged forward, but stopped once she saw the commander.

Yue Ying didn't make any special expression. Her army was poised and ready for battle, ready to charge, but they didn't have to. When Zhang Chunhua noticed the reason while the Shu army was just standing there, it was already too late for her.

"The rodents have surrounded us!"

Part VI – Reasons

Yue Ying had Zhang Chunhua and her small army of a hundred troops captured and bonded. Eventually she came to meet with Chunhua herself.

Yue Ying whipped her scythe. "What brings you here?"

Zhang Chunhua took a look at her old friend, who really appeared over seventy. Her hair screamed white, her face heavily aged, but she didn't say anything because Yue Ying was probably still more formidable in battle and because Yue Ying had held her fate.

Chunhua thought, Though her looks are gone, not like they ever came, she still has that air around her . . . no, it's not anything divine, but close to divine. There's something else other than beauty that is close to divine?

"I would ask the same."

"You know I'm Zhuge Liang's wife. That's more than enough explanation as to why I am here. What about you?"

" . . . It's a long story."

"I have plenty of time."

"It's too hard to explain."

"Well, you can either explain or I can execute you with a flick of my sleeves."

"Since when have you been this cruel?"

"Only to those who rebel against the Han. You are no different than another Wei officer to me."

" . . ."

"Speak."

Zhang Chunhua knew if she lied her way through, Yue Ying would eventually find out and kill here then and there.

"Zhongda and I are . . . closely . . . matched?"

"Exactly how many ways can you say that you two are married?"

"How did you know? And why did you ask if you knew?"

"I have my ways and reasons . . . _Ju-Hua_." Yue Ying paced around the pole Chunhua was tied against and then continued, "What gave you the idea of marrying him? When you left you were headed south – to Wu."

"It's an even longer story."

"You can either talk or die. Which do you prefer?"

Chunhua tugged at her bonds slightly, feeling the knot that bound her. She tugged a little harder, unnoticed, fingering the knot.

She started, "I was with Wu. I was living alone when one day a group of bandits came at me. All I had was the blade my father once used, which somehow possessed me, for when I wielded it, all the bandits fell. Sun Ce heard of this and asked me to seek audience with him to reward me."

Yue Ying had stopped pacing in front of her, her arms behind her back, her hands linked in a professional manner. She glared at Chunhua, who hesitated but continued, "When I went to the capital and sought audience with Sun Ce, I noticed Zhuge Jin was next to him. Had it not been for him, I would never be granted with the numerous titles Wu has given me."

Yue Ying's eyes widened. "I remember this. You and Jin were married shortly after."

"During the reign of Sun Quan, Cao Cao attacked us at Hefei. Zhang Liao captured me, and since he figured I was a distant niece of his, spared me. Zhongda took a liking to me . . . you can figure the rest."

Yue Ying's eyes shot a dirty look at Chunhua. "You are a disgrace to _all_ of the Three Kingdoms! What man – or woman – would submit to a kingdom other than _their own_?"

Part VII – Probing the Situation

Outside the tent where Chunhua was captive she heard Fei Yi's voice: "What should we do?"

"Well, let me explain the situation first," came Yue Ying's voice. "She came from the north-east with a small army, which means she was probably going to lure us into a trap."

"You're right, I probed some information from a Wei soldier and in the north-east, Deng Ai is waiting with his catapults."

"We have an even better plan though." Zhang Chunhua heard a snicker. "I will place a replica of her on the battlefield where we fought, and then inflame the area using the trees that surround us and some stones. The ignorant Wei soldiers will think the fire started naturally when they see some of our troops, including myself, try to put it out. We will pretend to fail and then let the fire spread. They will think she burned!"

"Then what?" inquired Fei Yi.

"Having a natural death for her will not arouse the army," Yue Ying continued. "And if it did we could use that to our advantage, by spreading the message across Luoyang and defecting many citizens including the officers. Even if it doesn't arouse the army, we will bring her with us on the battles and use her as a shield."

"But Sima Yi could care less about her."

"Fei Yi, even though you are a man, you will never know how much a husband cares for a wife, even if the marriage is built on respect. I learned that a long, long time ago."

Fei Yi laughed. "Wonderful! Now what will we do about Chunhua?"

"My husband is coming to this location soon. Jiang Wei is his escort. Master Liang will decide whether or not the woman lives."

Zhang Chunhua gasped. "Now I hope Zhongda doesn't care for me!"

Part VII – Beauty VS Radiance, the irony!

Zhang Chunhua tugged at the bonds constricting her and then felt it come loose. She noticed her blade at the far end of the tent. Zhang Chunhua dashed for it and then peeked outside the tent. Yue Ying and Fei Yi had already dispersed and the smell of burning tinder filled the camp as midnight passed.

She pulled the flap that closed the tent and exited. Eventually, she found a pond, where the moon shown upraised radiance. She touched her face, surprised it hadn't aged with her fifty years. It was because of women's constant and generous care of their skin.

She remembered Sima Yi saying in the first few years of her marriage, "Beauty is only skin deep. The radiance of one is not based on beauty, however, rather the spiritual personality of her."

That was the air around Yue Ying! She muttered, "I have beauty, but Yue Ying has radiance. Chrysanthemums have beauty, the Moon has radiance!"

The second character in the name "Huang Yue Ying" had meant moon.

"How ironic!"

Part VIII – Full Advance and One Retreat

Zhang Chunhua stole a horse from the stables and charged back to Deng Ai's camp. When she arrived, she, surprised, noticed Sima Yi and Zhong Hui next to Ai.

"What happened?" he inquired.

"I was captured with my band of soldiers," she said, bowing, "But I have information that may be beneficial to our army."

"What is it?"

"Because I have escaped, I have foiled their first plan."

Sima Yi's eyes narrowed. "And how is this useful to us?"

"That's not it, Zhongda," Chunhua continued, "Zhuge Liang is coming to the camp I was captured in."

"The one in the south-west?" he asked.

"Why yes."

He ordered Deng Ai and Sima Zhao, "I want you two to escort spies to the Shu camp. Check the information Ju-hua just gave us; if it is true, come back immediately and we will march with our full army, I will be leading for more morale. If not, just report back immediately. I hope he is there."

He then ordered Zhong Hui, "Take Ju-hua back to the main camp and protect her."

Zhang Chunhua was appalled. "_What_?"

"Now!" Sima Yi exclaimed, ignoring Chunhua.

"No, don't take me to the camp!" Chunhua said to Zhong Hui.

Zhong Hui bowed. "You are both my superiors. Please find me a direct order to follow."

Sima Yi sighed, took Zhang Chunhua by the arm and said, "Give us a minute."

Part IX – Elaboration

Sima Yi and Zhang Chunhua had stopped once the generals and the Wei troops were out of sight. He said emotionlessly and plainly, with his back facing her, "You're going back to the camp."

Talking back to her husband was an offense; talking back to an _order_ her husband directed to another man was not.

"But . . . why Zhongda? Don't we need me in the battle?"

"It's too long to explain now," Sima Yi replied. "Why don't you just go back?"

"There's no good reason for it." Chunhua looked over at him. "If you can explain it to me well, then maybe I will agree."

"It was a mistake even sending you to battle," He sighed. "Had I known Lady Huang was directing the army, I would have never sent you."

"What are you trying to say?"

His tone was much less harsh. "Ju-hua," he whispered, "Don't you understand?"

He turned around, his eyes full of concern.

"You just won't send me into battle because you think I'm not this level to face them?"

Sima Yi's head lowered. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

He remained silent. "I don't want to lose you."

There was a long moment of silence, except for the whistling wind. There was an air around Sima Yi that Chunhua had never noticed. It wasn't a presence of radiance, nor beauty, because it was more than divine. Was it always there?

She finally gathered herself together and said, "Zhongda, the battlefield is no place for emotions. Just send me out to battle and I guarantee you that Zhuge Liang's head will be in your hands."

"That is," Sima Yi muttered, "If Zhuge Liang is even there."

He wished Zhuge Liang wasn't now.

Part X – Chrysanthemum Flowers

Sima Yi let Zhang Chunhua stay with them in the camp filled with catapults. They sat there, silent. Zhong Hui noticed this strange behavior, probably because Sima Yi wasn't talking like he always was.

All three were quiet until Deng Ai and Sima Zhao came back.

"They're all wearing white," Sima Zhao said. "Except for Lady Huang, who is in black with a mourning sack over her shoulder. Zhuge Liang has died."

Sima Yi's eyes widened. "Is their army retreating?"

"They already left. Zhuge Liang left an order for an organized retreat, and after executing it they were gone."

"A brilliant strategist," sighed Sima Yi. "Very well, we'll not pursue them."

"Why not?" Chunhua inquired.

"They abandoned the camp." Sima Yi flicked his sleeves.

Chunhua blinked twice. "How do you know?"

"Am I right?" Sima Yi asked. "Did they abandon their camps?"

Deng Ai nodded.

"Good, very good. Capture as many things there are in the camp, from food to silk. You will get a generous reward."

Deng Ai and Sima Zhao's faces gleamed.

Zhong Hui stood up. "Allow me to help."

Laughing, Sima Yi exclaimed, "Good! You all may go. The _entire army_ will collect as well!"

Sima Zhao, Deng Ai and Zhong Hui exchanged glances. "Let's hurry," Sima Zhao said. "The more we collect the more for ourselves!" The other two nodded and the whole army was out of the Wei camp in an instant.

Zhang Chunhua laughed. "Zhongda, are we so low that we send our entire army with generals to steal the rat's supplies?"

"We're not," Sima Yi laughed. "I just wanted to send them away."

"Why didn't you send me?" inquired Chunhua.

Sima Yi's eye twitched. "Ju-hua, you don't get it?"

Zhang Chunhua thought. She was smart, but not clever. Let's see, she thought. If Zhongda told the army to capture the supplies, that would benefit the army because of the numerous supplies they would get. But if they were to get the supplies, it would leave Zhongda and I alone. Ahhh . . .

She smiled. "You're very clever."

"More than Zhuge Liang . . ."

Zhang Chunhua's eyes narrowed. "My god, you compare yourself to him so much, why don't you marry him?"

Sima Yi laughed whole-heartedly.

"Why would I want someone else besides you, Ju-hua, to stand by my side?" Sima Yi took a basket filled with Chrysanthemum Flowers and gave it to Zhang Chunhua.

"Chrysanthemums . . ." she whispered. "Why do we praise them so much?"

"It's not the flower that's praised," he answered. "It's you."


End file.
